My friend Tina and I often give each other dirty looks when it comes to the Salvation Army.

Tina's dad was in the Navy and when his wife needed assistance, she got help from the Salvation Army. I told Tina that the SA has anti-gay policies and the Australian branch of the SA issued this statement:

"[Homosexual activity is] as rebellion against God's plan for the created order.... Homosexual practice, however, is, in the light of Scripture, clearly unacceptable," says the Australia section. "Such activity is chosen behavior and is thus a matter of the will. It is therefore able to be directed or restrained in the same way heterosexual urges are controlled. Homosexual practice would render any person ineligible for full membership (soldiership) in the Army."

So when we are out during the holidays, she will put in a donation, and I give her a dirty look, and I'll walk by without doing so, and she'll give me a dirty look, and then we move on.

Good for you! Did you know that the Christmas song "Silver Bells" (one of my secular favorites) was inspired by the Salvation Army bell ringers?

I frankly don't care about their antihomosexuality stance--and I seriously doubt that it's really hurting them. The economy in general is probably hurting fundraising more than any antigay stance. The Salvation Army helps to feed the poor, and that's what matters to me.

Logged

"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.